Permutation lock for door latches



July 28, 1931.

G. D. FULL.

PERMUTATION LOCK FOR DOOR LATCHES 2 SheetseSheet l Filed Jan. 23, 1928 July 28, 1931. G. D. FULL PERMUTATION LOCKFlOR DOOR LATCHES Filed Jan. 23, 1928 Sheets-Sheet 2 VPatented July 28, 1931 mieu STATES PATENT omer GB01-zeal). runner .WINNETKA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNQR' To DUnLEyLocx oonronarrom or CHICAGO, rLLrNoIs, n CQRPQBATIQNLOF IMNOISy PERMUIATION VIOCK FOR 'DOOR MATCHES Application med Jamiary 23,.;1928. seringueMaarn This linventionrelates .to permutation `or keyless 1 loeks, and .has for `an vobject to `pro- .vi'de such: -a lock adapted for. ,use ,in connection i,vitha door latch ofthetype commonly termeda night latch Another Objectis .to provide means for `preventingascertain- Hlntlof the locks combination by the `Sense ofeeling or by the.tumblerav @glo `.r furtlier object of thjsfinwention is to so construct `theflock `that itl-may bG- IHMPU' lated Yin light or Clarke-with equal facility. lt consists in certain featuresandelements of construction, in combination as herein 11.15 shown `and describedandasindicated b y the the line 4--4 on Figure l.

Y .ec Figurey .5 is-a'view take-.11. at the line 5 5 on A Figure 1 showing thefmethod of securing the lock to a door l Figure 6 is aperspective axial.v disassembly of theparts of the lock.

Figure 7 is a face View of the dial and operating knob.

'The permutation lock embodying the present'invention isdesigned and constructedy to replace and supplant the usual tumbler locks of the key-operated 'type used in connection with a Vnight-'latch AVfor a door. As shown 4intljie drawings, a casing or housing ifs `indicated at l,V preferably annular in shape and'has one of Vits ,ends closed, the other end isopenan'd is providedwith an outwardly' extending peripheral flange,.2,.cn

which is mounted aeover, l3,.havin'g its outer 4edge spun over the `lang'e, 2, for permanentlysecurng it, theretd Thei central por- 50 tion of thecover-is Aformedtoattend .ant-

hearingy the .operation of vare mounted on said shaft normallyposi- Vwardly to ,servefasabearing,l 4,' lier-a shaft yor spindle, l5,( extending yintl() said' casing and operably fconnected to lock-ing Inechanism` .as

willpresentlybe described. i LV The mechanism when Vari'anjgned vin locking position-as shownfinFigure 1normal1y prevents vaxial movement 1vof theV kshaft g -butfby rQtati-ngjsaid shaft in certainY directionsto predetermined positions, ,the mechanism will `become so adjusted: [to permit ther shaft to be freed andY moved-axially untilgtheelot orgrQOVe, 6, vformedl in itsiiinner end',., en-

gagesithetongue or upperend oigan-.operatingbar,v 7, wherebya slight rotation of said shaft will actuate thela-tch indicatedat 8 tounlocking position. Thisioperatingbar is centrally aligned withftheshaft and with the lock assembly` Y The shaft Vis providedwith a rib or'key, 9,extending laterally therefromadjacent itsf-70 longitudinal center andi iinl radial alignment with a driving dog, 10, adjacent the inner e'nd of said shaft, extending transversely of the slot, 6. A series odis'k-type tumblers tioned between the key,'9 and dog, 110, (in

lockingposition,` as shown in Figure 1, 'and adaptedto be operatively aligned yon said key in llock-openingposition as illustrated: in Figure 2. For convenience, these tumblersf may be referred. `to as; a drivingjtumbler, l1, adjjacentthe dog, 10'; an intermediate tumbler,` 1 2', and a top tumbler,` 13. Each of these tumblers is provided' with a key-way, '14, adapted tobe engaged sllidably with saidkey onthe shaftto ermitaxial movement of the same. i The di'ivingtumbler, l1,.is provided with. drivingjlugs', '11 1 and Il", on its respective surfaces and posi- 90 tioned diametrically opposite "each other. `The intermediate. tumbler isalso .provided with drivingl lubs, `l2a and-12b, on .opposite surfaces, in Ldiametrically `opposite relation. The lug., 1l?, is adapted to be engaged the dog, 10,;of the shaft, while-theglug, 11", is-positioned to drive theglug, 12a, of theintermediate tumblen,and-` they lug, 121, .is` positioned to i .engagel a lug, $13, 'on the adjacent surface-faith@ tumbler, 1.3,; for trainee'ltti,ne'. 10

rotation from said shaft to all three tuinblers.

' A ratchet or click wheel, 17, is positioned onsaid shaft adjacent the outer surface of the tumbler,'13, and is formed with a way, 18, to provide a sliding driving connection withfthe key,'9, lof the shaft ini either locking or unlocking positions. This wheel is provided with a plurality of teeth, 19, corresponding to thefnumber of equal fractional units that the shaft may be rotated to complete a revolution, and as Vhereinshown, the number of teeth in said ratchet is twelve. A spring, 20, is riveted to the.V inner lwall of said casing, in position for registrai. tion with the teethas fafpaivl, causing a clicking action as the shaft is rotated, to deiii' nitely indicate'l by sound orV touch the number of units of rotation through which the shaft, hasbeen revolved. f Bearing'washers, 21, are positioned between the tumblers,'11

and 12, 12 and`13,l and betweenl the tumbler,

13, and ratchet, 17. lA'collar washer, 22, is

. positioned on top oflthe'ratchet, 17, providto clear said spring in assembling. f Washers, 21, 22V and 25, are-each provided :with a pair of diainetricallyy opposite n Y grooves, 27, adapted to engage; a pairgof ing a seat fora coil spring, 23, which is interposed between saidwasher andY an endv plate, 24, against the'V inner side Yof said cover, 3.v A shoulder washer, 25, engages the lowerV surface ofthe tumbler, 11, and supports the same'in spaced relation from a fourth tumbler plate, 26. t It will be noted ,that'the Washer, 22, lies `in the plane of the spring, 20, and the side thereof toward said Vspringis reduced Iin size to provide elearance, while the other washers are all notched The longitudinally extending diameti'ically opposite ribs, 28, formed on the inner wallof the casing to vfix said washers against rotational movement. This construction o bviates the transmission of anyY driving movement from one vtumbler to another through f vfrictional contact with an intermediate bearingwashen The coil spring, 23, acts to hold the ratchetwheel and the tumblers yieldingly ink frictional engagement between their respective bearing washers, thus-assuring at alltimes ther properV alignment of the Vcooperating'lugs of the'tumblers, in their respective j planes.

The fourth tumbler, which is the plate, 26,

lisconceiitrically mounted in fixed relation in the casing and is provided with a central bore, 26a, slightly greater than the diameter of thev shaft. plurality of equally spaced notches,- 30, open off the bore, 26a; the number of'said notchesherein shown as six, may bevvaried as long as itis a multiple of the ,numberf of teeth jin" the ratchet which' governs the number of 'equal an'gularunits off-rotation vofi-the shaft.' AOne of said "notches, asv indicated at'31, i'slargerf-than the others, affording a passageway for the dog, 10, as the shaft is moved axially through said plate. The lower end of the dog, 10, is lshouldered at '10a to form an auxiliary dog, 10", adapted to register with I-any of the small notches, 30, with the shoulder, 10a, abutting the top of said plate and preventing further inward vmovement ofthe shaft. LThe purpose 'of the vrsmall notches and auxiliary dog is to baffle and perplex anyone attempting to ascertain the combination of Vthe'lock by feeling The large notch, 31, is positioned preferably for convenience and simplicity, in alignment withv an initialY starting point of the lock,

such as the enlarged node, 32, secured to the outer surface of the cover,'3. Thenotch,

31,' may be positioned otherwise than inline withl the 'node 32, to obtain variations in lockV combinations 7. JfOf course it is understood lthat the keyways of all the tumblers must also be in alignment and register with the key, 10, to permit the shaft to be moved through said tumblers into engagement with thertongue of the operating.'

bar, 7, for actuating the latch, 8. l

Tumblerplate, 26, is supported by Vthree integralleg members, 35, extending through the bottomrof the casing andl riveted over in a base plate, 36, thereby securing the plateV will remain in .such lposition until the dog is again aligned with its groove, 31, to permit the shaft to be lmoved outwardly into locking position., l

This base plate 'is provided with a central opening, 37, for the shank of the operating Y bar, 7, and is concentrically recessed at 38, in vwhich is mounted a bearing plate, 39, against which abut the, under sides of a pair of oppositely extending arms, 7?, of the operating bar, 7. lThis bearing plateft-urns with said bar when rotated by theshaft, and

serves to provide easy and free bearing c oiitact, and overcome possible binding dueto these arms, 7% A wireloop spring,f40, is arranged in said recess onthe plate, 39, en-

gaging rsaid arms, and having its ends ysecured in the plate, 36, as shown in Figure 6. l, Said springk is formedqso as to permit rotation of the-operating bar when engaged by the shaft, and also for yieldingly returning said bar 'in' a .definite relation Vto the casing, soas to always insure proper aligna ment of the bar for engagement by the shaft- This tumbler plate, 26,may also after' ,said shaft has been released :the

tumblers for axalmovenient.

AIknob, e5, is riveted to `theouter end of n "the `respectivetrimmers The shaft is nonT the 4shaft forl conveniently rotating .the

4,Same ;the underside of said knob is'rece'ssed at 46 to permit the knob toibe Atelescoped over -the bearing, of :the cover, when `the .Shaft is axially ymoved intouunlocking posi- Ition, as shown in Figure 2,'provid1ng atompact arrangement. A notch, 47, is provided in the periphery of the knobfor'registraf tion withithe node,'32, asian initial orzneutralposition. Preferably the `notch is radially alingned with the key, 9, and dog, l? l0, sothatthe relative positions thereof may -be-` readily ascertained. vThe exposed surface of the cover `may be provided with suitable `graduations, and Vfor convenience, a

Series of equally spaced projections,i48, are

4formed on said cover,vpositioned-to correspond to the numberl oflunits iofrotatio'n `provided forlby ,the ratchet Wheel, 17,and

:spring pawl, 20, assisting in the rotation of the shaft to exact positions whenitis either light or dark.. The number,ofrprojvections,

.48, including the node,'3`2,1may'be'the same .asthe number of clicks of the Wheel or'teeth Lof the same, but are herein'flshown as five projections and the node, '32, so that the v distance between these points cor-responds to tWo clicks of thepawl and ratchet -or onesiXth of a revolution of the shaft.

The opening, 51,'fin a Wooden door,Y 52, or Vother mounting member need be only `large enough to permit a sliding 1 lit` o'fthe easing, ,11. The front end ofthe' lockslsupported' in afrecessed bearing` ring, T53, Vandthe rearend oi the lock isfsecuredftoa mounting'plate,

,r3/i, by three screws, 55,1spaced betweenthe legs, 35, of the tumbler plate, 26. vThe height of the bearing ringmaybe variedto suit-the thickness of the door. VThe mounting plate, 54, is secured at its marginal edges Y to the door `by means of'wood screws,-`5 6`.

It-'Willrofcourse. be understood that `the 4position off thelugsY on the tumblers relative to their keyways deterinii'i'eslt'he conibin ation of the loelr. These lugs which are positioned 'on the `tui-nblers at points radially aligned with the teeth of the ratchet,llnkaybe` posi.-

tionedat; any? ofthe pointsv otherthan the point supplanted by the `keyu'fay--, `andso may the positionofthefnotch, '31, be interohanged with any of1thenotches,.30. Thus,

the possible number of vdifferent combinations thatm-ay be hadis relatively great.

- Thelook maybe madef'or manipulation by commencing therotation :of the parts in either direction; for example thefoperation may .be as follows: The knobfll, is ypositioned with its noteh,n47,ali`gned with the y node, 32; then rotating vto the rightthree 10, on the shaftengagng` the lug, 11, @aus ing thelug,t lll?, gto-drive the` lug,I 12a, and the lug, 12", to engage the lug, 13%1to frotate rotated inthe :same direction `to va predeten.

mined position'at which` the .keyi'vay of the tumbler, 13, is aligned with the note-intl, in thewtumbler plate, E26. The shaft isthien reversed in rotation through two complete 4turnsto the left, and the necessary por-tion of a Vthird turnto align the notch, 47, With the inode, 32 (the tumbler, 1.3 remaining in a fixed .posi-tion.) and ay eontinuedturnfnr ,remaining stationary) and continued i ,turning to the rightbrinfgs Athe partsto a .pre-

determined ',positionfin `which ,the keyvuay t l of the tumbler,-` l1,,is aligned `with; .keyways of tumbleifs, ,-12 1 and 13,3v and nothf 3l. 'lfhen with the threeitllmblers, 11, 12 andl-prop .erly aligned .and fixed, thel shaft is ,reversed .and rotated tothe left `to aA ,predetermined position, `at which position Ithe key, r3, and

the des 10,V are in line :with the Ways le, vrifthe tumblers .and notml, of ,the plate,

26, S .that the shaft may Ybe pushed in-y Warfdlfy, the,` ylzey, 9, Y pSSing through the Ways, 112i, oiithe:tuinhlers,.y 1l, l2Al and. l, and thedog, passing through Vthe notch, Sil, permitting the slot, 6, in the end offthe'shaft Ato. engage the operating. bar, @when by an additional slight turn of knob'thevnight latch, 8,. inlayv bereleased.'`

If idesired,`the lool(vr may be maintained inlopen 1position against the reaction of kthe Serina Oft-y Permitting the arrested oi'jhe dog, 10, to ,frietonally vengage 'the Y underside. of .the plate, 2.6L. :The VfInechanisin may befthrownintoloclingpositionJby turn- -iio ing thelmob until the keyvanzd ,dog are' f aligned' for` withdrawing rearwardly through their respective ivas and notch,

their@ slight turn. ofthe sha t ,by .the knob in eitherfdi'rection Wifll destroytheset'ting of lthe tumblers, o, v

'If .will now be clear that if ,the first. three parts of the.combinationare l'znoyvln `by which the'rways of the tuinbl'ersll, -land 13' may be aligned, an attempt to pushthe shaft inwardly Will be vpaIft-illly permitted by the auxiliary'lug,10b, extendingint0 One of the notches, 30, but further mOYGmLeIlLOf Athe shaft is prevented by the Shoulder, 10a,

abutting'against the vtop of the plate, 26. r

This will of course;,forjan'instant causethe t l manipulatorto' believe' that the setting of the complete turns :to insure thatthe tumbl'ers, ll, l2 and 13, are* in"drifvingengagement --knob. Alfurther attempt to locate thesetting for the fourth` tumbler Will ordinarily result in destroying` the setting of thev other tumblers. e Y Y 1 It Vwill be recognizedthatthe provision of the projections, 48, and the node, 32, on the exposed face of the casingmakesf'it possible for the user of the lock to read the'dial inA the dark entirely by his sense of touch. The

index notch, 47, on the knob, 45, is readily found by feeling the periphery of the knob, and the node, 32, being more prominent than the projections, 48,7indicates clearly the neutral point with which the notch, 47, is registered in .bringing the parts to aninitial p'osition; preferably also the notch, 47, Vand node, 32, are again aligned in the final position of adjustment preparatory tothrusting the shaft inward Nand actuating the latch bar, 7, thereby.

I claim: l

l. Ina permutation lock ,fory a door-latch, a combination of a transversely extending operating Vbar operably connected to said latch, a casing, 'a shaft journaled therein provided withv a longitudinal extending guide rib, al plurality of tumblers on the shaftv normally. holding said shaft against 'y longitudinal movement, co-operating means .for driving said tumblersby each other, said tumblers beingprovided with ways, and lost motion driving connections between saidV shaft and one ofsaid tumblers `for moving the latter to'predetermined positions ofadljustment for aligning the ways with therib to permit said shaft to be moved axially for engaging said operating barto actuate the latch. n

2. In a permutation lock yfor a door latch, the combination of a transversely extending operating bar operably connected to said.

latch, a casing, a shaft journaled therein provided with a longitudinally extending guide rib, a plurality of tumblers on the shaft normally holding said shaft against longitudinal movement, co-operating means for driving said tumblers by each other,

i Y said tumblers 'being providediwith ways,V

and lost motion driving connections between vsaid shaft and one of said tumblers, ysaid driving connections comprising a dog on the shaft, axially spaced from the rib engagable by rotation of the shaft, with ar projection on one of said tumblerswhereby to transmit rotation to all of said tumblers for' shifting them to predetermined posi.

tions as a combination, for aligning the v(il) ways of said tumblers with said guide rib to permit longitudinal movement of Vthe shaft for engaging the operating bar to actuate said latch. y

3. In a lock structure as defined-in claim 2, a disk on the shaft disposed slidably over the rib and provided with a plurality of equally'spaced peripheral notches, a yieldable member secured to the casing and posi-4 tioned to engage said 'notches toassistthe operator in counting the number ofangular units of rotation of the shaft for positioning said tumblers at predetermined points. Y

4. In a permutation lock for a door latch,

.the Lcombination of a transversly extending operating bar, operably connected to saidA latch, a casing, a shaft journaled therein,

adapted to be moved longitudinally yfor actuating said latch, a seriesof superimposed disk-tumblers on the shaft normally 'restraining such movement and adapted to be positioned by rotative adjustments vof said shaft to releaserthe same for its longitudinal Vmovement into engagement with said bar to actuate Athe latch, and means for retainsaid tumbler for retaining the shaftin latch' openingV position. f

b. In a permutation Vlock for. a'door latch having a transversely extending operating bar, a casing, a shaft journaled therein providedwitha longitudinally extending guide rib, a series of super-imposed disk tumblers on said shaft normally holdingL the same against longitudinal movement, said tumblers having guideways4 adapted to Vbe aligned with each other to permit passage of said rib through the tumblers to free the shaft, co-operating means for imparting rotary movement from one. tumbler to an-l other, a dog on said shaft engageab-le with a projection on one of the. tumblers forerotating all of said tumblers'to predetermined positions, as a combination, whereby to align'said guideways to permitthe shaft to be moved into operating connection with the latch barl forractuating the latch, said disk tumblers being interposed between bearing plates held against rotation by engagement with the casi g.

7. In the lock structure defined in claim 6, said co-.operating means comprising transversely extending lugs on the face of said disk tumblers, av fixed tumbler mounted in the casing beyond the end of the rib on the shaft ywhen the latter is in latch locking position, said fixed tumbler being provided with an aperture and a notch ofl the periphery thereof, whereby saidshaft must be rotated to a predetermined position for alignment of the guide rib with the guideways of the tumblers and with the dog on the shaft positioned for registration With the notch in the fixed tumbler to permit longitudinal movement of said shaft.

8. In a lock structure as defined in claim 6, means associated with said fixed tumbler,

adapted to prevent feeling out the combination of the lock.

9. In a lock structure as defined in claim 6, means preventing feeling out the combination of the lock, comprising a series of equally spaced notches opening off said aperture in the fixed tumbler smaller than said notch With Which the dog is registrable but including the same as one of the series of said smaller notches, whereby longitudinal movement of said shaft will be prevented vvhen'the same is positioned with the dog aligned with any of said smaller notches.

10. In a lock structure as defined in claim 6, means preventing feeling out the combination of the lock, comprising a series of equally spaced notches opening off 1 said aperture in the fixed tumbler smaller than 14. In the combination defined in Vclaim 12, said irregulatrities comprisinga series of projections on the dial disposed at equal angular intervals, one of said projections being more prominent than the rest, and the knob having a notch in its periphery adapted to register With said'more prominent projection when the shaft is rotated to 4final position in which it is free for axial movement.

GEORGE D. FULL.

said notch with which the dog is registerable I but including the same as one of the series of said smaller notches, said dog being shouldered to permit movement through any of said small notches With Which it is aligned to the depth of the shoulder, While preventing movement of said shaft through the fixed tumbler for operably engaging the latch bar.

11. In a permutation lock for a door latch having a transversely extending operating bar, a casing and a cover therefor provided with a bearing, a shaft extending into said casing and journaled in the bearing, locking means normally holding said shaft against longitudinal movement and' adapted to be operated by selective rotation of the shaft to free thesame for longitudinal movement into engagement with said bar for actuating the latch, a knob on the outer end of said shaft for rotating the same, said knob having a recessed portion Vfor telescoping over the bearing of the cover when said shaft is actuated longitudinally.

12. In a permutation lock which includes a shaft movable axially into operative position and rotatable for settin the locking mechanism whichnormally blocks said axial movement, an external knob on said shaft and a dial associated With said knob, said dial and knob having certain irregularities of form which the operator may identify by his sense of touch alone and which serve as index means in the rotative setting of the knob.

13. In the combination defined in claim 12, said irregularities including a series of features disposed at equal angular intervals around the dial, one of said features being more prominent than the others, and the knob having a single irregularity disposed for registration with said features of the` dial. 

